Sega Saturn Technical Aspects

 

 

 CPU: Main SH2 (28.6 MHz, 25 MIPS) X 2
Sound 68EC000 = (11.3MHz)
 Video Processor 1:

Geometry Engine:

  • Texture Mapping
  • Gouraud Shading
  • 200,000 Texture Mapped Polygons/Second
  • 500,000 Flat Shaded Polygons/Second
  • 512K Cache for Textures

Sprite Graphics:

  • Virtually Unlimited Sprites on a Line
  • Virtually Unlimited Sprite Images
  • Virtually Unlimited CLUTs
  • Dual 256K Frame Buffers for Rotation, Scaling=20 Effects
 Video Processor 2:

Background and Scroll Plane Capabilities:

 

  • Five Simultaneous Scrolling Backgrounds
  • Two Simultaneous Rotating Play Fields
  • 24-bit Backgrounds
  • 704x480 maximum resolution Backgrounds
 Memory: Work RAM 16 Mbit
Video RAM 12 Mbit
Sound RAM 4 Mbit
CD = Buffer=20 RAM 4 Mbit
IPL ROM 4 Mbit
Backup RAM 256 Kbit
 Graphics: Resolution 320 X 224, 640 X 224, 704 X 480.
Colors 32,000 = displayed=20 in foreground
24-bit color palette

 2D Capabilities:

This is EXACTLY the reason Radiant Silvergun was possible on the Sega Saturn. It was the ONLY system that could handle all of the 2D effects like sprite scaling, rotation, and the sheer number of all the 2D objects on the screen at any given time. The PSX version was later scrapped as it just didn't have the capabilities to run such a graphic mammoth as this title. Proof that the Saturn really was technically superior in some ways.......or as it says here......."Virtually Unlimited!"

 

Virtually Unlimited Sprites on a Line

Virtually Unlimited Sprite Images

Virtually Unlimited CLUTs

Dual 256K Frame Buffers for Rotation, Scaling Effects

Five Simultaneous Scrolling Backgrounds

Two Simultaneous Rotating Play Fields

24-bit Backgrounds

704x480 maximum resolution Backgrounds

 3D Capabilities:

 

Texture Mapping

Gouraud Shading

512K Texture Cache

200,000 texture-mapped polygons/second

500,000 flat shaded polygons/second

 Sound: PCM & FM Sound Sources
32 Channels
16 bit=20 sampling
Sampling Rate 44.1 KHz max.
32 Voices
FM=20 Synthesis
Two CPU Interfaces
16 Channel Digital = Mixer
SCSP=20 contains Yamaha FH-1 11.3 MHz, 128 Step DSP
DRAM Controller for = SCSP=20 memory
 CD ROM: Direct Memory Access to RAM
150 KB/sec audio transfer
330 = KB/sec=20 data transfer
660 MB Max=20 Capacity

 

 

 

 

Saturn Technical Data taken from Sega-Saturn.com:

http://www.sega-saturn.com/index.html